Wagashi Forest Introduction
Master tea maker Shi Chao-xing graduated from the "Tea Industry Training Institute" in his early years. In 1951, he was sent to work at the "Chimu Red Tea Factory" by the Japanese, inheriting the tea-making techniques of the old tea masters. He served as the factory director until his retirement, and his passion and dedication to black tea witnessed the rise and fall of the Sun Moon Lake black tea industry. At one time, Sun Moon Lake black tea was extremely popular, from the cultivation efforts in the early Japanese colonial period to the prosperous tea garden years of the 1960s. However, with the drastic changes in the tea industry and the influx of cheap foreign tea, the Sun Moon Lake black tea industry gradually declined. The old tea master spent 60 years cultivating and making tea, cherishing his bond with the land and his hopes for the industry. While others became wealthy from betel nut farming, he insisted on growing tea, believing that black tea would one day regain its splendor. Shi Zhu-hua and Chen Yan-quan, a couple with two generations of inheritance, continued their father's spirit of craftsmanship and tea-making techniques. In addition to making excellent tea, they are determined to ensure that good tea is recognized, recreating a new image for Sun Moon Lake black tea. In 2015, they established a tourism tea factory, providing a place to witness the historical and cultural development of the Sun Moon Lake black tea industry. This initiative not only helps more people understand the knowledge of the black tea industry but also contributes to the preservation of local culture and further promotes the Sun Moon Lake black tea culture, allowing the world to see the revival of Sun Moon Lake's tea art.